The native Network Bridge app provides full control of the wired and wireless streaming capabilities as well as the input, output and clock settings. The Network Bridge app is based on the same network streaming and app technology used in our flagship Vivaldi series – providing an intuitive interface for you to quickly and easily organise and manage your entire digital music library.

Designed for simplicity, a single, powerful FPGA platform is the heart of the unit and the Network Bridge is Roon™ready, also supporting streaming services such as TIDAL™, and Spotify™.

Featuring clean, bit-perfect operation, the Network Bridge currently plays files sampled at rates up to 24-bit, 384kS/s, supporting all major lossless codecs, plus DSD/64 or DSD/128 in native or DoP formats.

Compatibility with legacy dCS DACs is assured by an integer down-sampling feature. This downsampling feature converts high res data (for example DXD or DSD) to 24 bit PCM at either 176.4/192kS/s or 88.2/96kS/s – bringing the data within a range supported by your DAC.

The Network Bridge firmware can be updated easily from the internet using the control section of the app. This allows dCS to add new features or improve the performance of the product during its production lifetime.

Designed and made in Great Britain to the highest standards, Network Bridge’s elegant chassis uses aerospace-grade machined aluminium to reduce sound-degrading mechanical vibration and magnetic effects. Multi-stage power regulation is employed to isolate the sensitive clock circuitry from digital processing noise.

Specification

Digital InputsNetwork interface on an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet connector – Acts as a UPnP™ renderer operating in asynchronous mode, streaming digital music from a NAS or local computer over a standard Ethernet network, decoding all major formats. Network and built-in WiFi accept data streamed from an iPod, iPhone or iPad via Apple AirPlay™. Music can be streamed from the internet via Spotify Connect™ or Tidal™, the Network Bridge is Roon™ ready. USB 2.0 high speed interface on type A connector operating in asynchronous mode, streams digital music from external drive.

Digital Outputs2x AES/EBU on 3-pin male XLR connectors, each outputs PCM at up to 24 bit 192kS/s or DSD/64 in DoP format. Used as a Dual AES pair, the interface outputs PCM at up to 384kS/s, DSD/64 & DSD/128 in DoP format. 1x SPDIF on 1x RCA Phono connector, outputs PCM at up to 24 bit 192kS/s or DSD/64 in DoP format. 1x SDIF-2 interface on 2x BNC connectors, outputs PCM at up to 24 bit 96kS/s or SDIF-2 DSD/64.

Wordclock I/O2x Word Clock Inputs on 2x BNC connectors, accept standard word clock at 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 or 192kHz. The data rate can be the same as the clock rate or an exact multiple of the clock rate. Sensitive to TTL levels. Word Clock Output on 1x BNC connector, carries Word Clock at the same frequency as the data rate up to 96kHz.